Team Mary Kom clarifies Bigg Boss’s remark about female athletes after backlash
Olympic bronze medalist and six-time world champion Mary Kom has apologized after the boxing legend’s comment on Bigg Boss 20 drew criticism on social media, with viewers accusing her of appearing to belittle the achievements of other Indian athletes.
The controversy arose during a conversation between Mary Kom and contestant Qazi Touqeer about Indian women making it big in sports. Touqeer mentioned tennis star Sania Mirza and badminton player Saina Nehwal before Kom responded with a remark that drew attention online.
“How many girls here have done wonders in sports, Sania Mirza has also done great, Sania Nehwal,” he said. Before Touqeer could continue, Kom intervened saying, “Lekin mere jaisa koi they will achieve nahi kiya”, meaning “But no one has achieved what I have.”
A clip of the exchange subsequently went viral on social media, with several viewers taking issue with how the statement was made. Some felt that Touqeer was simply acknowledging the achievements of several Indian sporting icons, while Komo’s response seemed to turn the conversation into a comparison.
The criticism prompted the Mary Kom team to address the issue through their official account. The team said her words were not meant to undermine another athlete or diminish anyone else’s achievements.
“We apologize if Mary’s words were misconstrued. It was never intended to demean or compare the journey of another athlete. Mary has immense respect for every athlete who represents India and gives their heart and soul to the sport,” the statement said.
The team also emphasized that achievements in different sports deserve equal recognition.
“Every journey is unique, every achievement matters and every medal makes India proud,” he added.
Kom’s boxing record is one of the most recognized in Indian sports. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, becoming the first Indian female boxer to win an Olympic medal.
She won six world titles in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2018in addition to winning a silver medal in 2001 and a bronze in 2019.
The Manipur-born boxer also won gold at the 2014 Asian Games, before that he won a bronze in 2010 and added a gold medal from the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Kom has won five gold and two silver medals at the Asian Championships between 2003 and 2021, further underscoring her dominance in the sport.
Kom is one of only two boxers, male or female, to have won six world titles and was the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in boxing.
The *Bigg Boss 20* controversy comes as Kom considers his next move in boxing. She revealed earlier this year that she was considering turning to professional boxing after age restrictions ended her eligibility to compete in amateur boxing for India.
Speaking of the possibility in March, Kom reflected on the high points of her career and said professional boxing could give her another opportunity to compete.
“What can I say about the high points? To win six world championships was incredible. Even though I got to the stage where the age restriction prevented me from continuing to compete in amateur boxing for this country, a new opportunity arose in professional boxing,” she said.
Kom added that she took time to consider the move while continuing to work on her comeback.
“At the moment I’m taking some time to reflect. I’m working hard and trying to come back to show people what I can do,” she said.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
13 Sep 2026 17:50 IST